Tuesday, January 11, 2005

I did a naughty thing today

I suppose not everybody would consider going to McDonald's naughty, but I take great pride in trying not to visit the few American establishments that exist here while living in Europe (although I have been known to hang out at Starbucks from time to time because I like the nonsmoking atmosphere...). I didn't actually go to McDonald's to eat a meal, but I did have a cone. I just love their ice cream and I was out running some errands downtown and it was a beautiful, sunny, spring-like day (two days in a row!) and the Golden Arches were calling... so I indulged. It was my first time in McDonald's in Basel. A couple observations-- they sell beer, it's very smoky inside (as it is generally everywhere here), and food is very expensive. A "value" meal is close to the equivalent of $10. I noticed a sign announcing that on Friday and Saturday they're now open until 4:30, and I thought, wow, that's a strange time to close. Why wouldn't they stay open at night? Then I realized that 4:30 means 4:30 AM. If they meant 4:30 in the afternoon, the sign would've said 16:30. I am totally shocked to think that McDonald's in Basel is open until 4:30 in the morning on the weekends. I suppose this means there is a whole late-night culture here I know nothing about.